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Actions and Rounds
During exploration, you don't usually need to take turns. The GM will prompt you by asking your action, you answer, and the GM tells you the result. You can break in with questions, offer suggestions, or tell the GM a new action any time you like. However, during combat, it works differently: all characters involved, including non-player-characters (NPCs) all take turns in a fixed 'turn order.' Turn order is determined by a mechanic called 'initiative,' discussed under 'Entering Combat' section of 'Combat.' Each character is allowed the following actions during his or her combat turn: Two standard actions, one minor action, one move action, one opportunity action, and as many free actions as he or she likes. These actions serve to limit what can be done in a single turn. Each combat round (A full progression through the turn order) takes approximately 5 seconds in-game, although it can take much longer in real life! Two standard actions are allowed during a standard turn. Commonly used standard actions include: *Attacking (See attack rules, below) *Sprinting (Sprinting allows the character to move additional spaces equal to his or her 'sprint movement' stat. A character can even sprint twice in a turn for the maximum move possible. As of the current revision, a character may use these standard action moves before, or in place, of his or her move action.) *Equipping, De-Equipping, or changing equipped item in a hand. (A character can use both standard actions to change equipment in both hands) *Picking up an item from the ground. *Throwing an item *Using short, usually physical, skills, such as tying a knot with ropework. (See skill description for examples.) One minor action is allowed during a standard turn. However, a Standard Action may be used as a Minor Action. *Using quick, usually mental, skills, such as gleaning someone's intentions with social insight. (See skill description for examples.) One move action is allowed during a standard turn. Generally a move action is only used for movement: *Consuming the move action allows a character to move his or her 'base speed' in feet during the round. *Or, consuming the move action allows for a five-foot step. (See Combat, below.) A character is allowed unlimited 'free actions', hence the name. Examples include: *Speaking short sentences *Gesturing A character is allowed one opportunity action. Opportunity actions are different - they are generally used outside of your character's turn. A character is given his or her opportunity action at the start of his or her turn and can use it at any point until the start of his or her next turn. Generally, these actions are used for 'Attacks of Opportunity.' See combat rules for details. Full-Round actions are generally more lengthy tasks. A full round action consumes the character's two standard actions, minor action, and move action, effectively occupying his or her entire turn. The only exception is that a five-foot step is allowed to be consumed. Examples of full-round actions include: *Casting a spell *Executing a Coup-De-Grace (See Combat, Below) *Using long, usually physical, skills, such as picking a lock with sabotage. (See skill description for examples.) *Specific character abilities and feats, such as entering berserk. (Note: As of the current revision, full-round actions do not consume your opportunity action.) Not all actions can be completed in a single round. Anything that takes longer than the five seconds allotted in a round is generally a multi-round action. These actions require multiple rounds to complete, and consume all the characters available actions every round until the required rounds are elapsed. Examples of multi-round actions include: *Donning armor :: 60 seconds / 12 rounds for heavy armor, 40 seconds / 8 rounds for medium armor, 20 seconds / 4 rounds for light armor